Rediscover the Patty Melt

With all of the work and time put into preparing holiday meals, family feasts and friendly gatherings, sometimes you just need a break — something simple to prepare, something that satisfies your most basic cravings, something that makes use of all that fresh baked bread that has found its way to your kitchen table.

As far as American cravings go, there's just something about a simple hamburger. It's why I'm never surprised to overhear excitement about yet another burger restaurant concept. It's why I understand the frenzy when people find out a new In-N-Out is surfacing somewhere in the exotic southwest.

Our love affair with ground beef and burger buns is something that's a part of our cultural DNA. In fact, it's often the first thing we want to taste when coming back from a vacation or international travel. "Just give me a cheeseburger."

Something similar, yet surprisingly unheralded when contrasted against a hamburger, though, is the good ol' patty melt — something I personally admit to rediscovering just this past weekend.

Caramelized onions, melted cheese, and grilled toast is easier to source than a rounded bun. What's not to love?

Maybe today's the day you too get reacquainted with hamburger's step-brother.

Chris Perez is the Founding Editor of Citygram Austin Magazine.
He is an engineer and freelance writer / photographer based out of Austin, TX. He loves sharing stories about art, culture, food, and technology.